Code translator



Oct. 2, 1962 J. A. YEOMAN CODE TRANSLATOR Filed Nov. 8, 1960 lNl/ENTOR-RELEASE J. A. YEOMA/V ATTORNE CONTACTS I'Fatented Oct. 2, 1962 3,056,855CODE TRANSLATOR John A. Yeoman, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor toAmerican Telephone and Telegraph Company, New York, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Nov. 8, 1960, 8m. No. 67,989 2 Claims. ('Cl. 17826)This invention is a control circuit for translating multielementtwo-condition permutation code signals into indicia on a record, such asperforations in a business machine card. The signals in accordance withthe multielement start-stop two-condition permutation code, are as sumedto be impressed on a teletypewriter receiver, and by means of thereceiver to operate a so-called stunt box mechanism, which is an adjunctof the receiver, both of which are well known in the 'art. Selectionseffected in the stunt box mechanism control the present circuit toeffect selections in a punching machine to perforate the businessmachine card. The teletypewriter receiver which receives the permutationcode signals and controls the stunt box may be the 28-typeteletypewriter receiver manufactured by the Teletype Corporation anddescribed in Patent 2,505,729, granted to W. I. Zenner on April 25,1950. The stunt box may be the 28-type stunt box also manufactured bythe Teletype Corporation and described in Patent 2,568,264, granted toW. I. Zenner on September 18, 1951. The card punching machine may be,for instance, the IBM 024 or the IBM 026 key punch manufactured by theInternational Business Machines Corporation and described in Patent2,263,291, granted to T. L. Dowey on November 18, 1941. These patentsare incorporated herein by reference.

While the control circuit of the present invention is primarily adaptedto function intermediate the 28-type stunt box and either of the IBM keypunches, all identified in the foregoing, it is not so limited and maybe employed to control any suitable indicating or recording mechanism.

An object of the invention is the simplification of control circuitswhich translate multielement two-condition permutation code signals intoindicia on a business machine card.

The punching machine which is assumed to be employed with the presentcircuit is equipped with twelve punches each of which perforates anindividual localized area in :a vertical column of a business machinecard. When a numeral from O to 9 is to be defined, some one of the tenlower punches in the column perforates its respective area. For purposeof defining a letter, some one of the nine lower punches in the columnand some one of the three upper punches in the column are operatedsimultaneously. The three upper punches are called overpunches. Oneoverpunch is assigned to each of three groups of letters into which thetwenty-six letters of the alphabet are separated. One overpunchperforation taken together with one underpunch perforation defines aletter. In the punching machine as thus arranged, one of the punches,which when used alone defines a numeral, is employed as an overpunchwhen operated simultaneously with another to define a letter.

The present circuit, therefore, is required to control the punchingmachine to perforate one or two areas to define a number or letter,respectively. To do this it must be first informed which of the two itis to identify so that it may adjust for the proper control of thepunch. Although either a letter or a number, in aseries of letters ornumbers, is identified by a single permutation, the present circuit isfirst adjusted to control the punch to perforate a single area in acolumn of the card or two areas by first impressing on theteletypewriter receiver and through it on the stunt box an individualpreliminary permutation preceding the permutation identifying the firstof a series of letters and another different permutation preceding thepermutation identifying the first of a series of letters. This will beexplained more fully hereinafter.

The manner in which the circuit of the invention operates may beunderstood from the following description taken with reference to theassociated drawing herein. As an aid in understanding the detaileddescription hereinafter, first the invention will be describedgenerally.

In the drawing each electromechanical relay winding and core isrepresented, according to the usual convention, by a rectangle and anappropriate designation. The relay contacts are represented according tothe detached contact convention in which an X intersecting a circuitpath represents an open contact therein and a short line, at rightangles to the circuit path, represents a closedcontact. Each relaycontact bears a designation such as F-io. In this designation the letterF identifies the wind ing and core which actuates the contact, and thenumeral 16 identifies contact 16 on relay F. There are five relays shownon the drawing, relays F1 and F at the top left in the drawing andrelays i}, 11 and 12 at the lower left. Relays F1 and F operate inseries and in unison. The two relays are required to provide therequisite number of contacts. There are sixteen contacts on relay Fdesignated F1 through F16. There are twelve contacts on relay Fldesignated Fi-l through Fl-lZ. There is one contact on each of relaysii, 11 and 12, designated 0-1, 1 -41 and 12-1, respectively, shown atthe upper left in the drawing.

The key punch is represented by a captioned rectangle shown at the rightin the drawing.

The teletypewriter receiver which is assumed to control the stunt box isnot shown on the drawing. For purpose of the present description, thestunt box may be assumed to be equipped with twenty-nine contacts. Theseare shown in a vertical array slightly to the left of center in thedrawing and are the only apparatus elements of the stunt box shown inblock form enclosing the twentynine contacts on the drawing. Twenty-sixof the contacts are designated from A through Z in accordance with thetwenty-six letters of the alphabet. The remain-v ing three aredesignated FIGS, LTRS and SP, respectively. The twenty-six code signalpermutations assigned to the twenty-six letters of the alphabet areordinarily employed to control a teletypewriter receiver, on which theyare impressed, to print the letter of the alphabet cor-1 responding toeach permutation. In the present circuit each of these signalpermutations is employed to control a contact in the stunt boxcorresponding to the letter. These twenty-six contacts on the drawingare each represented by the symbol X in a circuit path and by some oneof the twenty-six letters of the alphabet from A to Z individual to thecontact. The symbol X indicates that the cont-act in the path in whichit appears is normally open, and is closed when the permutation codesignal corresponding to the letter assigned to the contact is impressedon the stunt box through the receiver.

In addition to the code signal permutations which control ateletypewriter receiver to print the letters of the alphabet, certainother code signal permutations are employed to operate theteletypewriter to perform certain functions, which functions areperformed by a typist in the operation of an ordinary typewriter, toadjust the element carrying the type so as to print different symbols atdifferent times through the operation of a single key, and to controlthe typewriter to print neat copy. Three such additional code signalpermutations are employed in the present circuit. One of these codesignal permutations is the so-called Figures Shift permutation,hereinaiter designated FIGS. When applied to a teleaoeaeae typewriterreceiver, the code signal permutation FIGS adjusts the teletypewritermechanism so that it shifts from printing in the regular or lower caseto printing in the upper case. In the present arrangement, however, whenthe stunt box is activated in response to permutation code signal forFIGS, the circuit is adjusted so that it is in condition to actuate asingle punch so as to perforate a selected discrete area in some one often discrete positions, called under punch positions, in a verticalcolumn of a card. Each of the ten numbers from to 9 is identified by aparticular one of ten signal permutations corresponding to ten of thetwenty-six letter permutations. Thus, in order to perforate an area inthe card corresponding to some one of the ten numerals from 0' through9, it is first necessary to impress the code permutation for FIGS on thestunt box. This effects a preliminary adjustment of the present circuitso that, in response to a succeeding permutation code combinationdefining a selected 'one of ten assigned letter permutations, the punchwill perforate a corresponding assigned one of ten discrete areas toidentify the numeral. This will be made more clear in the detaileddescription hereinafter. It is pointed out that in teletypewriteroperation, once the code permutation signal for FIGS is received, theteletypewriter continues to print the symbols corresponding to thepermutation signals which follow in the upper case until a permutationcode signal designated Letters Shift, and called hereinafter LTRS, isreceived, which readjusts the teletypewriter to print in the normal orlower case position. The circuit of the present invention operates in agenerally corresponding manner. That is to say, once the FIGSpermutation signal is received, it controls the punch to perforate asingle selected underpunch area corresponding to a numeral in eachvertical column until the permutation for LTRS is received.

Normally the present circuit is in condition to control the punch sothat it perforates a vertical column in a card, to identify some one ofthe twenty-six letters in the alphabet. As mentioned in the foregoing,it does this by perforating a vertical column in two positions. One ofthetwo positions is a so-called overpunch position of which there arethree; namely, the 0, l1 and 12 overpunch positions. Each of theoverpunch positions, as explained, is associated with a particular oneof three groups of letters. Each of two groups of these letters consistsof nine letters and the third group consists of eight letters making atotal of twenty-six. The 12 overpunch has associated with it nine lettercontacts; namely, contacts A, B, vC, D, E, F, G, H and I. The 11overpunch has associated with it nine letter contacts; namely, contactsJ, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q and R. The 0 overpunch has associated with iteight letter contacts; namely, contacts S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. 7Cont acts A through I control the nine punches 1 through 9,respectively. When the punch perforates a vertical column in a card inoverpunch position =12, and perforates it also in some one of the ninevertical underpunch positions, 1 through 9, the corresponding letter ofthe nine letters of the group A through I, respectively, is identified.Contacts I through R also control the same nine punches 1 through 9,respectively. Whenthe punch perforates a vertical column in a card inoverpunch position 11 and perforates it also in some one of the ninevertical underpunch positions, 1 through 9, the corresponding letter ofthe nine letters of the group I through R, respectively, is identified.Contacts S through Z control punches 2 through 9. When the punchperforates a vertical column in a card in overpunch position 0 andperforates it also in some one of eight of the nine vertical underpunchpositions 2 through 9, the corresponding letter of the eight letters ofthe group S through Z, respectively, is identified.

Normally, as stated in the foregoing, the circuit is in condition toperforate two areas in vertical alignment in a column in a card, one inan overpunch position and one in an underpunch position, to identifysome one of twentysix letters. It does this in response to the receptionof a single permutation code signal identifying the letter, after firstbeing adjusted by the reception of the permutation, for LTRS. Itcontinues to perforate two areas for each permutation code signalidentifying a letter until the permutation for FIGS is received. Inresponse to this the present circuit is adjusted to perforate a singleone of ten areas in a vertical column to identify the number. Itcontinues to do this as long as permutation code signals correspondingto any of the ten letters assigned to identify numerals is received anduntil the permutation code signal for LTRS is received. This willrestore the circuit to the norm-a1 condition in which two perforationswill be made in each column to identify one of the twenty-six letters.

The punch is arranged to operate intermittently through a cycle offourteen steps, for instance. During this fourteen-step cycle it moves acard into the punch, through the punch, and out of the punch. Duringtwelve of these cycles, twelve vertical areas or columns in the card arepresented to the punches for perforation, one column per cycle, insuccession, and during the other two cycles the card is moved into andout of the machine.

One of the permutation code signals in the present multielementpermutation code is called the Spacing Signal, hereinafter called SP.This is employed ordinarily to control a teletypewriter receiver tointroduce a space between groups of printed symbols such as words. Inthe present circuit, this permutation code signal is employed to controlthe SP contact in the stunt box. This applies a condition to terminalSpace in the punch. The punch is thereupon actuated to prevent theperforating of any area in the particular 'vertical column which is atthe moment being presented to the punches for perforation.

The Key Punch is controllable by the present circuit to skip positionsin the cycle. This is performed by impressing the permutation signal forFIGS followed by the permutation signal for the letter G on the stuntbox. In response to this, a condition is impressed on terminal SKIP inthe punch to perform this function.

To release the Key Punch the permutation signal for FIGS followed by thepermutation signal for the letter Z is impressed on the stunt box. Thisimpresses a condition on terminal Release in the punch which thereuponperforms this function.

The operation of the circuit shown on the drawing will now be describedin detail.

The circuit as shown on the drawing has its stunt box contact LTRSclosed and its contact FIGS open. The circuit is therefore in conditionto control the punches so as to perforate two areas in each verticalcolumn of a card simultaneously to indicate any of twenty-six letters ineach vertical column. Since contact FIGS is open, relays -F1 and F arereleased. All of the contacts on these relays as well as relays 0, 11and 12 are in the condition shown on the drawing. All of the contacts inthe stunt box are in the condition shown on the drawing.

If the permutation code for the letter A is now imressed on the stuntbox, its contact A will close. In response to this, in the punch asource of potential will be connected to terminal Common and to theleft-hand terminals of the windings of relays 0, 11 and 12 in parallel.The right-hand terminal of the winding of relay 0 and theright-handterminal of the winding of relay 11 are each connected to a group ofcontacts in the stunt boX all of which are open, so neither one of theserelays can operate. The right-hand terminal of the winding of relay 12is connected through contact A to terminal 1 of the key punch. From thisterminal the circuit extends through the winding of the 1 punch magnet,not shown, in the punch to ground. The punch magnets are shown and theiroperations described in the punching machine patent identified in theforegoing, Relay 12 will operate and punch magnet 1 will be energized.Relay 12 will close contact 12-1. This will impress the potential frompunch '5 -terminal Common on punch terminal 12 energizing punch magnet12 in series with terminal 12. Punches 1 and 12 controlled by punchmagnets 1 and 12 will be actuated simultaneously to perforate two areasin the column of the card momentarily being presented to the punches todefine the letter A.

If any of the permutation code signals corresponding to the letters B,C, D, E, -F, G, H or I had been received, instead of the permutationcode for the letter A, relay 12 would have operated, the correspondingcontact in the stunt box would have been closed, and some one of punchmagnets 2 through 9 would have been energized, simultaneously with punchmagnet 12, to perforate two areas in the card column, one under punch 12and one under some other one of the punches controlled by magnets 2through 9 dependent on the particular permutation received.

If the permutation defining letter J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q or R isreceived, a correspondingly lettered contact in the stunt box will beclosed. Relay 11 will be actuated. Contact 11-1 will be closed. Punchmagnet 11 will be operated and again some one of punches 1 through 9will be operated simultaneously with punch 11 to define the particularletter corresponding to the permutation.

If a permutation code signal defining some one of letters S, T, U, V, W,X, Y or Z is received, the correspondingly lettered contact in the stuntbox will be closed. Relay will be operated. Contact 0-1 will be closed.Punch 0, assumed to be connected to terminal 0 in the punch, will beactivated simultaneously with some one of the punches assumed to beconnected to terminals 2 through 9 to define the letter corresponding tothe permutation code signal.

In order to adjust the circuit so as to control the machine to indicatenumerals, first the signal permutation for FIGS is transmitted. Inresponse to this, the terminal designated FIGS at the top of the drawingis closed and a circuit is established from grounded battery through thewinding of relays F1 and F and contact FIGS to ground operating relaysF1 and F. The operation of relay F1 closes each one of contacts F1-1through F1-12. The operation of relay F closes each one of contacts F-lthrough F-16. The closing of contact F-l locks relays F1 and -F in theoperated condition by closing a circuit from grounded battery throughthe windings of relays F1 and F and through contact F-l, which is nowclosed, and contact LTRS which is normally closed and which has remainedclosed.

When the circuit is in condition, it will be observed that the windingsof relays 0, 11 and 12 are each shunted by the closure of contacts F2,F-3 and F4, respectively. As a result of this, if any of the contactsfrom A through Z in the stunt box is closed, battery from the punchmachine through terminal Common to the lefthand terminal of the windingof each of relays 0, 11 and 12 will pass through the respective shuntingcontact and none of relays 0, 11 or 12 will be operated. As a result ofthis, contacts 0-1, 11-1 and 121 will remain open and none of thepunches connected to terminals 0, 11 or 12 in the punch machine can beenergized to perforate an overpunch area in a column.

If the permutation for the letter P is impressed on the teletypewriterto actuate contact P in the stunt box, a circuit will be establishedfrom battery through terminal Common, contact -F-3, contact P, contactF-6, terminal 0 and through the winding of the 0 magnet, assumed to beconnected to terminal 0 in the punching machine, to perforate an area todefine the numeral 0. In response to the reception of the permutationdefining the letter Q, battery through terminal Common, contact F-4,contact Q, contact F-7, terminal 1 and magnet 1, assumed to be connectedto terminal 1 in the punch machine, to ground will energize magnet 1 andperforate an area to define the numeral 1. For numeral 2 the path willextend 6 through contact I 2, contact W and contact F1 1 to terminal 2.

Continuing with the numerals, and assuming that relays F and F1 areoperated, when the permutation for letter E is impressed on the receiverand contact E of the stunt box is closed, the punch magnet selectingpath is extended through contact F-4, contact E, contact F1-6 andterminal 3 to designate the numeral 3. For numeral 4 stunt box contact Ris closed and the path extends through contact F-3, contact R, contactF1-5 and terminal 4 to indicate numeral 4. For numeral 5, the pathextends through contact F-2, contact T and terminal F1-2 to terminal 5in the punch machine. For numeral 6 punch contact Y is closed, the pathextends through contact F-2, contact Y, contact F-10 and terminal 6 inthe punch machine to indicate numeral 6. For numeral 7 the permutationfor letter U closes stunt box contact U, and the path extends throughcontact F-2, contact U and contact F1-4 to terminal 7 in the punchmachine to indicate numeral 7. For numeral 8 the path extends throughcontact F-4, contact I and contact F-11 to terminal 8 in the punchmachine to designate numeral 8. For numeral 9 the path extends throughcontact F-3, contact 0 and contact F1-11 to terminal 9 in the punchingmachine to designate numeral 9.

After a permutation designating a numeral, or a series of numerals, hasbeen received, and it is desired to again record letters, thepermutation for LTRS, defining letters, is impressed on theteletypewriter receiver and opens contact LTRS shown in the upperportion of the drawing. It will be recalled that when a numeral or aseries of numerals was being received, the permutation signal for FIGSwas impressed on the teletypewriter receiver and contact FIGS shown atthe top of the drawing was closed to operate relays F1 and F in series.Thereupon, as explained, relays F1 and F were locked through a pathextending through the now-closed contact F-l and the normally closedcontact LTRS. In response to the reception of the LTRS permutationsignal, contact LTRS now opens, releasing relays F1 and F and restoringthe circuit to its normal condition. When in this condition, the presentcircuit is arranged to control the associated punching machine toindicate letters as explained in the foregoing.

Attention is called to the fact that when a permutation is receivedwhich is intended to designate a numeral, which permutation wouldordinarily designate a letter, relays F or F1 actuate a contact in thepath between the stunt box contact designating the letter and theterminal in the punch which would ordinarily control a perforation todesignate the letter. Thus, for instance, when the circuit is incondition to designate numerals and relays F and F1 have been operatedin response to the reception of the permutation for FIGS, if thepermutation code signal for the letter P is received to designate thenumeral 0 through contact F-6, contact F-9 is opened to prevent theapplication of a potential condition to terminal 7 in the punch toprevent the simultaneous operation of the punch controlled throughcontact 7. Correspondingly, when contact Q in the stunt box is closed toidentify numeral 1 through contact F-7, contact F-12 will havepreviously been opened -to prevent the operation of the punch associatedwith punch terminal 8. It will be observed that contact F1-10 is openedwhen numeral 2 is identified by the closing of stunt box contact W.Contact F1-8 is opened to prevent the operation of magnet 5 when stuntbox contact E is closed to control the number 3 punch. Contact F1-12prevents punch 9 from operating when stunt box contact R is closed todesignate numeral 4. Contact F1-3 is opened at the time stunt boxcontact T is closed to prevent punch 3 from operating when numeral 5 isto be designated. Contact F-13 is opened at the time stunt box contact Yis closed to prevent the operation of punch 8 when numeral 6 is to bedesignated. Contact F1-7 is opened at the time stunt box contact U isclosed to prevent the operation of punch 4 when numeral 7 is to bedesignated. Contact F-14 is opened when stunt box contact I is closed toprevent the operation of punch 9 when numeral 8 is to bedesignated. And,finally, contact F1-9 is opened when stunt, box contact 0 is closed toprevent the operation of punch 6 when numeral 9 is to be designated.

What is claimed is:

1. A code translator for translating Baudot code signals into a recordin the Hollerith code, said translator comationof each of saidtwenty-six other elements in each of said groups of other elements forselectively extending said source of energy through the winding of saidrelay individual to said group thereof to one of said second groupoutput terminals, and mean responsive to the energiz'ation of said relayfor extending said source of energy to said first group output terminalassociated therewith. 2. A code translator in accordance With claim 1wherein an individual path is provided for shunting each of said prisinga first element selectively actuable in response to 1.0 relay windings,and means responsive to the actuation of the reception of an individualBaudot code permutation, twenty-six other elements each selectivelyactuable in response to the reception of an individual one of twentysixother permutations, said twenty-six other elements being arranged inthree groups, a first group of three output terminals, a second group ofoutput terminals, a source of energy, a relay individual to each ofsaidgroups of other elements and associated with each of said first groupoutput terminals, means responsive to the actusaid first element forclosing each of said shunt paths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,682,451 Wieland et a1 Aug. 28, 1928 2,370,989 Nichols Mar. 6, 19452,633,491 Zentgraf Mar. 31, 1953 2,672,227 Rabenda Mar. 16,1954

